The exception to the rule
by Anna Stern
Summary: It's late and Pepper wants to go home but Tony has other plans in mind.


**Note **: this is the first Iron Man fanfiction I have written but as English is not my mother tongue, a big big BIG thank you to Ki and Jessi who were kind enough to beta this story. Thanks for the amazing comments, help, corrections, inputs, etc etc etc. Now, if this story is still bad, well… that's all on me.

* * *

Pepper was sitting on the edge of the sofa, close to the fireplace. She was typing vigorously on her laptop. Despite the very late hour, she was still exchanging emails with various interlocutors for whom time zone did not matter anymore than it did to her. She did not hear Tony coming in but was not surprised to hear his voice anyway.

"I thought you'd gone home".

She, too, thought she would have gone home - early enough to enjoy a full night's sleep. She could not afford it, not when they had just launched a brand new product they would sell like hot cakes to the US Army.

She did not pay attention to what her boss was doing. She had to go straight to the point, to not let herself get distracted. She had acquired enough experience during her eight years working for Tony Stark.

"You did great today."

His voice seemed far away, like filtered by her brain on _anti-Stark-intrusion_ mode, a highly effective device.

She raised her head as soon as she wrote the last complete sentence in her email and found Tony scrutinizing her, standing a couple of meters away.

"What?"

"I just threw a compliment at you."

They were so rare, at least the sincere ones, that she wished she had lent an ear, but truthfully, her work that day did not deserve that praise.

"I didn't do anything exceptional", she said modestly.

"You saved the company. For the umpteenth time, and I'd rather not start counting or I'd have to name you CEO."

She shook her head and half-smiled. She went back to typing but Tony Stark had no intention of letting her do her work peacefully.

"How can I thank you?"

He was still standing within a pretty reasonable distance.

"Come on. I insist. You deserve it."

He then seemed to be considering what to do next.

"Wine! Can I serve you some?"

She did not look at him but he could follow her gaze to a glass filled with white wine.

"I forgot you had access to my cellar."

"Actually this one was from the fridge, which by the way, could easily be referred to as a wine cellar. Do you ever feed yourself?"

"I do. With those wonderful take-out meals you order for me."

She saw his grin being replaced by an embarrassed look, analyzing the room in search of another clue to a suitable reward. He seemed to find none. He then moved closer, sat on the couch and sighed. He obviously yearned for more attention and would only be satisfied once Pepper had diverted him.

"Tony, I still have a lot of mail to go through and to send before the Market opens tomorrow morning. I've been up since… an eternity! And I really want to go home."

She continued typing and heard him say: "this is what we're going to do". Before she could protest he quickly closed her laptop, taking it away from her and putting it on the table.

"Tony!" she cried.

"Your job is done for today. Don't thank me. I'm the boss."

"I can't just ignore your investors."

"Uh. Yes, you can. That's an order."

He moved towards the table and took the glass to hand it to her. She noticed he had served himself a glass of what looked like Vodka.

Resisting would not work. The faster this whim of his would pass, the faster she could get back to work. Finish up. Go home. They clinked glasses and she took a sip, hoping the whim would go very fast.

Tony had noticed her tired look, she was obviously weary and he felt responsible for it. Pepper was the most precious asset Stark Industries had, and he did not tell her enough.

"You look tense."

"Don't worry about me."

"Here's an idea. What if you stopped debating and let me do something nice for you, for once."

The idea of Tony doing something nice for her or anyone else was unseemly. "For once" was there to prove it.

She jumped when he delicately took her ankle in his hand and put it in his knees. Her lips were half-opened in an "O" of stupefaction. Just as delicately, he took her black stiletto shoe off. They had been killing her for hours but she had not stop working long enough to slip them off.

She tried to protest but he shushed her and took her right foot in his hands. So little and so hurt by the murderous heels.

"Tony…"

"One second."

She waited and immediately enjoyed the massage he was giving her. She did not forget however where she stood.

"Tony…"

"Pepper! Let's make a deal. Let's say the only reason you'll interrupt me again is if, and only if, I'm not doing the job properly."

"But…"

"Do we have a deal?"

She knew it was a waste of time to try to talk him out of it. Besides she was too tired for that. And that was not so bad.

"Tony…"

He stopped suddenly and she felt bad, her left foot was still imprisoned in the murderous shoe's evil twin and was dying to receive the same treatment as the right one.

"Do you really want me to stop?"

He was so smug. Doing wrong was not even a possibility for him. She shook her head and took another sip while her left foot was being freed and taken care of by skillful hands. As he kept on working, she forgot all about those waiting for her email answers on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. She started to relax, trying to figure out the last time someone had taken care of her. She knew she would come to regret this but she could not resolve to put an end to this turn of events, lavished on her by the last person on earth she thought capable of such a gesture.

She then felt a light caress stretching up her right leg, from her ankle to her knee, Tony's hand just barely brushing against her. Her eyes went wide open. She was taken by surprise but knew better than to say anything. She even bit her lower lip so her voice would not betray her. She closed her eyes back and felt the same caress on the other leg. For a few minutes. Then, she noticed his thumbs were moving in circles, from the ankle, slowly climbing, lingering around the knees she knew were extremely ticklish. She bit the inside of her cheek and breathed deeply trying not to jump on the sofa.

Her tight black skirt fell just above her knees, when she was standing. Now that she was sitting, it fell just above them. Tony's hand went under the fabric, she breathed in again and looked him in the eyes, not saying a word, but somehow _shouting_: "what the hell are you doing?". He let go of her legs for one second, just to put a finger on his lips to shush her.

"You should really allow yourself to wear shorter skirts."

"I choose my skirts knowingly."

"You like the strict look it gives you."

"It's most of all for you to stop staring at my legs."

"You know that doesn't work, right?"

"So I've come to realize."

"You should show them. To me especially. I'm a big fan. The right length would be… I'd say… Let's cut all of this!"

He lifted the skirt a few centimeters up, discovering the edge of her stockings held by a black garter belt.

She saw his eyes lighting up like a kid's, mouth half-opened, obsessed with a new toy.

Exactly what she did not wish to be.

She regained her senses and put her feet on the floor, away from his talented hands. She tried to push herself up from the couch with her arms but he kept her from that.

"Uh. That's funny. Judging by your face, I wouldn't bet on you being that relaxed."

"Oh, I'll be perfectly relaxed once the mails are sent and I'm in my bed."

He pouted and let her know he did not believe her.

"Do you really think you'll be able to relax and get rid of last weeks' tension?"

Easing tension was not her main concern. Sleeping was. And her main obstacle was now standing close to her. Way too close.

"Tony…" she started.

"Ah! Careful, don't forget the rule. You're not allowed to interrupt if…"

"I just want to go home, stop acting like a kid."

That was a little bit much to ask – like asking a 5-year-old to stop acting like a child.

"Alright. Give me one last chance. And if I really can't make you forget about Europe, I'll give up."

She was surprised by how serious he looked, and _she_ gave up.

She fell back on the sofa and realized how her back was killing her for sitting hunched over her laptop for so long. Then she heard a rustle, spotted, without even looking, Tony moving closer to her. She felt his hand, much higher than before, lingering on the garter belt's clips and unclipping them with exceptional but not surprising dexterity. He rolled down the stockings, caressing her legs while doing so.

She closed her eyes tighter, and refrained from telling him to stop this ridiculous game of his, a game in which she was now a game piece.

When he took off her underwear, she wanted to protest. She wanted it so much that she was convinced she had voiced it out loud. But she was fiercely biting her lower lip, so no sound could have escaped her lips.

Trapped and unable to move.

Too feverish to regain her senses, to get over it.

With the same precise movement, unhurriedly, he slightly spread her legs.

She was too close to something she had never really wished for, but also too curious to withdraw from the game.

She jumped at the contact with his tongue. He playfully repeated that a few times and enjoyed her light hops. She moaned when she felt his breath, she sagged when she felt his lips. Her breathing became erratic; she forgot to breathe in from time to time. She tried to cling to the sofa, drawing her nails in the soft fabric. A long moan passed her lips.

The voice which was telling her that this masquerade was ridiculous and that they should stop before they severed a long-time established professional relationship was slowly being smoldered, disappearing in some mists her brain had not enjoyed in a long time. A wave of heat was slowly engulfing her. She was panting and arching some more until she felt completely submerged and carried away by desire. She fell back, her mind far away, her chest quickly rising up, enjoying this state of well-being which would not last long.

From her state, she felt lips caressing the inside of her thigh and the rougher texture of his stubble. She opened her eyes and was not the least surprised to see he had a triumphant smile.

"I knew that would relax you."

Oh she was relaxed, no doubt about that. And she knew he was proud of himself. The lesson of humility would have to wait for another day.

He was still playing with the edge of her blouse, undoing the button at the bottom, and the next, and the next until he revealed her skin-coloured bra. She knew it was urgent for her to leave. She could not let him go on.

To know was one thing. To act on it was quite another.

She had let the opportunity to slip away vanish the moment his hands had begun exploring her knees. There was no going back. If she had not realized at the time, she was now sure of it.

She caught him by the collar of his t-shirt and drew him to her. He hoisted himself up immediately. If he thought he was the only skillful one, she proved him wrong by pushing him on the sofa, rotating with him, until he was sitting and she was straddling him, and then by quickly opening his fly. She pulled at his jeans to get him rid of them.

As he was unhooking her bra, with great swiftness, she slightly changed position and it was Tony's turn to moan.

"Undo youtr hair", he ordered.

With a steady and professional hand, she took out every single pin that was holding her bun into perfect shape, and she arched to put them back on the table. Her movement provoked a groan of discomfort. She eyed him to make sure she had not hurt him, she was reassured when he put his hand through her hair to set it completely free. It fell on her back and he smiled, fingering a lock of wavy hair which was framing her face.

She started moving her hips, slowly, looking for a rhythm they would both enjoy.

He was touching every part of her skin, making her shiver from lower back to upper neck.

His lips took on a journey starting at her breasts which he kissed, caressed with his tongue, engulfed in his mouth, then moving to her neck, gliding along her nape, sometimes biting, catching her earlobe to nimble on it, pressing along her jaw, aiming for one final stop.

Before his lips could touch hers, she looked away. She put her hand on his mouth and pushed him back, blocking his attempts at kissing her. He did not hide his disappointment and tried again but she stayed firm. The last stroke diverted his mind completely and she held her breath as she watched his face being distorted by pleasure.

He took a few minutes to open his eyes. She chose that moment to set him free and leave the clumsy embrace he had attempted, voluntarily or not, with his arms. He tried to hold her back.

"Where are you going?"

"Home", she said naturally.

"Now?"

She used his state of shock to get up and gather her things which had been spread all around them. She rapidly put her underwear back on, slipped on her blouse, and adjusted her skirt. She was not aiming for perfection, she was sure she would not see anyone on her way home. She just wanted to look decent - and be far from here. She grabbed her cellphone from the table; put it in her purse she had set on the steps by the piano. She did not pay attention to Tony, did not care if he was getting dressed or not. That was none of her business. But she was forced to confront him again when she felt him closer to her as she was putting on her jacket.

"Pepper, why are you running away like this?"

She just smiled and assured him she was not actually running.

"I've been trying to go home. You wanted me to relax and…"

Oh she was relaxed, really.

"Why are you going home when you could wake up over the ocean?"

The smile did not leave her face, as she went for the stairs.

"And who will take care of the trash in the morning?"

"Who says there'll be trash to be taken care of?"

"Tony, I'm not one of your conquests. I have never wished to be. Never will be."

"I don't see a problem here."

"Tomorrow morning, I'll be your employee again. I need to do my job properly, I need to know you'll treat me like your PA and not like your…"

"Wow, let's not put ID tags on anything here, shall we?"

"What's just happened…"

"…was great!"

"…won't ever happen again."

"What? Why? Not even from time to time? Or for my birthday? Or yours?"

"You knew that before you started."

"You can always make aexceptions to rules!"

"With you, Tony, there are rules to exceptions. Good night."

She was about to go down the stairs, her shoes in her hand.

"No kissing. That one of your rules?"

"More like a point of honor."

"I see."

"Makes everything easier, avoids confusion."

"So you don't kiss when you have sex."

"I do. When it means something."

"Ouch. Why so hurtful?" He sneered.

"Good night Tony."

She went down the stairs.

"One day, Pepper Potts, I'll find an exception to your rule!"

Her amused laugh was the last thing he heard that night.


End file.
